In the Next Life
by JaiSpade
Summary: "You said always and forever. You said it! How can you just walk away from that? We were supposed to be together, always!" A twist on when Leo became an elder. How events could have turned out. Please read and review. You may be surprised.


**One shot! Another take on when Leo became an Elder. All the heartache, the anger, and most of all love. The way it could have gone down. It starts with Piper inflicting damage on San Francisco. Then, it twists.**

It wasn't supposed to end like this. It can't. She didn't think she could handle it. Her heart was slowly breaking, stealing her breath away. She couldn't take the overbearing pain. She raised her hand and struck the city with another lightning bolt as the rain poured relentlessly. Tears ran down her face, mixing with the rain. She watched silently as the city stood in its peril…still standing, while her world was falling apart.

She screamed. She screamed as loud as she could and as hard as her pain would let her. How could he? How could he leave her? Especially for _them_? The very people who tried to pull them apart. Did he not want her anymore? Was all the fighting between them eventually going to separate them and this was his way out? Did he not _love_ her anymore?

Piper shook her head and punished San Francisco a little more. She didn't even notice when her sisters orbed behind her.

"Piper!" Paige yelled over the rain.

"Stay away from me." Piper shouted.

"We're taking you home." Paige shouted.

"To your family." Phoebe added.

"What family?" Piper cried, turning to glare at them.

"To your son, Wyatt. Remember him?" Phoebe answered.

"He needs his mother." Paige said.

"He already lost his father. Don't take his mother away from him, too." Phoebe tried.

Piper breathed heavily, the ache in her heart taking over her. How dare he? It's one thing to leave her, but to leave his son? Piper shook her head violently and disappeared in a gust of wind.

She appeared in the heavens, surrounded by the people who broke up her family. They all stopped and stared at her; she was dripping wet and her face was covered in agony.

"Where is he? Where is Leo?" she spoke angrily.

Someone grabbed her arm. "Piper, what are you doing here?"

She turned her head toward him, her eyes to the floor. "How could you do this?"

"Uh, excuse us for a minute." Leo quickly pulled her into a corner and all the other elders disappeared.

"You asked me to marry you, and I did. You wanted a family, and I gave you a son." Piper cried, looking deep into his eyes. "And now you want me to watch you just walk away?"

"It's not that simple." Leo sighed.

"Then make it simple. Because I'm trying really hard to understand." she said, resisting the urge to pull him to her and hide in his arms forever.

"Piper, if I had a choice in any of this, I would choose you. I always have." Leo tried to convey her. His heart was breaking. He never liked to see her cry, especially over him.

"Then choose me now," She held out her hand. "And let's go home."

Leo looked at her hand, then at her face. Tears were forming in his eyes. "Don't you think I want to?"

"I don't know," Piper shook her head. "And that's what scares me the most."

"The Elders were wrong about us," he said, taking her hands in his. "They didn't think our love could survive but it did. Our love blessed us in ways they couldn't even imagine. It gave you the strength that you needed to take over from Prue, it produced a baby with a greater future than any of us, and it made me…"

"An elder." she said, pure distaste in the words.

"Our love is transcendent, Piper. It lifted me up so high that this was the only possible result. Being an Elder wasn't my destiny, but yet here I am because of you."

"Right, because of me, you are the one thing I can't stand the most." she cried. Suddenly, the goddess powers left her body, and she became her normal self again. "How can this be right?"

"It wasn't meant to be, but it happened. You have to accept that." he said.

Piper grew livid and yanked her hands out of his. "I can't! Do you remember what you said at our wedding? You said always and forever. You said it! How can you walk away from that? We were supposed to be together, always! What about Wyatt? How could you leave him? How can you leave _me_?" She broke down in tears.

"Piper," Leo tried, cupping her cheeks with his hands. He pulled her face up to his, wiping the tears away. "I'll always be watching over you."

"It's not the same." she cried. "Will I ever see you again?"

"I don't know." he whispered. Piper cried and held onto him. "As an elder, I have the power to take your pain away."

Piper scoffed through her tears. "You can't make me forget you."

"No," Leo said. "Help you find peace."

"I will never find peace if you're not with me. I can't just give up. I don't know how." She sobbed.

"I wish there was something I could do to make you smile again." He whispered, a tear slipping from his eye.

"You can come home with me." She looked deep into his eyes, hoping to persuade him. She raised her hand to his cheek, her thumb wiping his tears away. "I don't ever want to be without you. You belong with me, Leo, not up here."

"I know." He ignored the lump in his throat. "But, I can't ignore my new destiny."

Piper sighed. "So what does this mean for us? We're over? You've stopped loving me already?"

"I will _never _stop loving you, Piper. You know that. I know you do." Leo pulled Piper against him, holding her close to his heart. "You will always live in my heart. Our love is too powerful to just die away. I'm not sure what this means for us, but I know I can't keep putting through any pain. Maybe this is God's way of sparing you any more pain caused by me. Quit now before I hurt you more, you know. Now you can move on and live a normal life."

Piper chuckled bitterly. "Normal. I don't even know what that means anymore. And don't say I should move on like it's a good thing or even something I want to do. I love you, Leo. I can't let you go."

Leo couldn't hold it in anymore. He leaned down and kissed her passionately – like it would be the last time they ever got to share that sweet pleasure. "I love you, too, Piper. I love you so much. But you have to move on from me. I can't live with myself knowing you might be crying over me all the time."

"I can't move on from you. You're my husband." Tears started welling up in her eyes. "Are you going to forget me?"

"Never. I'm yours forever, Piper." He kissed her again, and Piper was reluctant to let him go.

"I love you." Piper cried once they broke apart.

"I love you, too." He whispered.

Before another word could pass between the two, Leo waved his hand and orbed Piper back to the Manor. Once she was gone, he clenched his jaw, trying desperately to stop the tears. He covered his face with his hands, his heart aching painfully in his chest. He knew some of that pain was Piper's. He could still feel her. And it hurt.

"Leo," A voice called from behind him.

He turned around to see Odin standing with Zola. He sniffled and took a deep breath.

"It's for the best." Odin said, not an ounce of sympathy in his voice.

"For the best?" Leo snarled. "How is any of this for the best? Piper is heartbroken. And so am I."

"This is your destiny, Leo. Embrace it." Odin said sternly.

"Is this really my destiny? Or is this some other way to keep Piper and me apart?" Leo asked angrily.

"Leo," Zola said calmly.

"No one forced this on you." Odin said.

"Then isn't it my call whether I should stay or not? I have a family. I just had to leave my wife, and my son." Leo said.

"Becoming an elder is an honor." Odin snapped. "If you didn't get caught up in that Halliwell, you would see this is where you belong."

"_That Halliwell_? I didn't get caught up in anything! I love her. I belong with her. She's my life. This wasn't meant to be. But we were. Piper and I have been through too much for it to end this way. I'm an elder now. Don't I get to make the rules now?"

"It doesn't work that way, Leo." Odin spoke.

"Why not? Because it goes against everything you believe in? Or are you afraid you were wrong? You never thought Piper and I would make it, but we did. And you can't handle that. So now, you just want to split us up." Anger burned inside Leo. "Didn't you ever love someone?"

"I gave all that up when I took on the duties of my calling." Odin said bitterly.

"Well, I won't. All I need is what's inside of me to know that Piper and I are meant to be together. All this doesn't matter anymore. I used to think before that being an elder would be the ultimate reward. But I was wrong." Leo shook his head. _Why did I let her go?_

"You dare turn your back on us?" Odin bellowed.

"If living here, half alive, while my other half wallows away, then yes." Leo stood his ground. "Piper needs me. And I need her."

"We broke all the rules for you, Leo Wyatt. Who do you think you are?" Odin shouted.

"I _know_ I'm a man of free will. I'm in love with Piper Halliwell and I'm going to be with her." Leo said.

"The hell you will!" Odin shook his head. "You think you can be the only elder with a family?"

"I don't want to be an elder if losing Piper is the price." Leo answered, then without another word to anyone, he orbed away from the heavens.

(((o)))

Phoebe and Paige were sitting in the living room, a sorrowful silence hanging in the air. Ever since Piper came home, the Manor had changed. She mumbled something about wanting to be with Wyatt on her way up the stairs and Phoebe and Paige didn't have the courage to confront her just yet. Now, they sat uncomfortably, too afraid to say what they were feeling.

Suddenly, blue orbs filled the room.

"Leo?" Phoebe sat up on the couch. "What are you doing here?"

"Staying," Leo smiled. "I still live here, don't I?"

Smiles adorned Phoebe and Paige's faces. "Are you serious?" Paige asked.

"Yes. I made a mistake accepting their offer." he said.

"But, it's what you wanted." Phoebe said.

"It was nice to be promoted, but it's not what I wanted. Being here, apart of this family is what I want." Leo said.

Phoebe and Paige smiled brightly. They jumped off of the couch and tackled Leo in a hug. "We're so happy you're back."

"Me, too." he chuckled, hugging them back.

The two girls let him go. "Uh, Piper's upstairs in here room with Wyatt." Phoebe said.

Leo couldn't help but smile. Piper was going to be so happy to see him. With one last look at each sister, he left the living room in search of his woman. On his way up, he realized he was still wearing the elder robes. He pulled them off his shoulders and down his arms. Once he reached his bedroom door, Leo slowly creaked the door open. He expected to see Piper laying on the bed or sitting on the couch by the window playing with Wyatt. But the room was empty. He stepped into the room a little more and spotted Wyatt sleeping in his play pen. He smiled at his son. He was about to walk over to him when he heard something. The light in the bathroom was on. He heard something fall to the tiled floor. It sounded like…a bottle of pills? No, Piper wouldn't do that. She promised after Prue that she wouldn't.

Leo stopped breathing. He threw the robes onto the bed and quickly walked into the bathroom. Piper bent over and picked up the bottle she must have dropped. She must have changed her clothes right after she came home because she wasn't wearing the blue flower print dress anymore. Instead, she had on a pair of charcoal gray sweats and one of Leo's T-shirts. She sniffled and stood up straight, her teary eyes trained on the little bottle. It was unopened, which Leo saw as a good sign.

"You said you wouldn't…"

She nearly jumped out of her skin and whipped around, gripping the bottle tightly in her hand. "Leo,"

He shook his head. "Dammit, Piper. Why?"

She sighed, tears spilling over the rims of her eyes. "I wasn't. Well, I was thinking about it. But then, I couldn't."

"_Why_ would you try?" He asked exasperatedly.

Much to his surprise, anger crossed her features. "Because everyone I love keeps leaving me! First Mom, then Dad, then Grams, then Prue, and now you! How long before I lose Wyatt or Phoebe or Paige? How long, huh?"

"Piper, this is not the way." Leo said, taking a step toward her.

"I'm not going to do it!" she yelled quietly, not wanting to wake up Wyatt.

Leo shut the bathroom door behind him, grabbed her hand, and pried the pills out of her palm. He looked at the bottle. It was nonprescription pain killers. The ones Piper used after Wyatt was born. Her headaches had gotten a little worse since Wyatt wouldn't sleep through the night. He shook his head and chucked the bottle into the sink behind her. He stared at her, worrying about what was going on in her head.

"Piper, I thought you were done with this." he spoke quietly.

"I thought the gods would spare me any more pain, but evidently I was wrong." she spat, secretly relishing in his warmth. "I can't stay happy, so why should I live?"

"Because what would Phoebe and Paige do without you? What would Wyatt do without his mother?" he asked, knowing she already thought about that. He just wanted to emphasized the reasons she should not do anything to herself.

"I thought about all of that. That's why I didn't do it. I couldn't leave my son. He needs me. I'm all he has now." Piper looked down at the floor. Agony swept over her again as she linked her fingers with Leo's. Why didn't he mention himself before? What would _he_ do without her?

"And what about you?" she asked quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"What would you do? Without me?" She couldn't look at him. She was too afraid. He already left her and she wasn't sure she could handle his answer, but she had to know.

Leo didn't answer right away. He looked down at her, wondering why she even had to ask that question. "I would die."

Piper looked up into his eyes, searching them for the truth. "Really?"

"Of course I would. I'm yours forever, remember? How can I live if you take my soul with you?"

More tears ran down her face. She bowed her head and clung tighter to his hand. "I don't know. I thought you had given back my love, no matter what you said up there. I just can't believe you still love me if you left me."

"Piper," He lifted her chin up, coaxing her to look into his eyes. "I will never leave you."

"But you did. You're an elder. You can't have a family." she said.

"I could never leave you. It took me about five minutes after you left for me to realize I love you too much to let you go. And I was wrong for telling you to move on." Leo placed her free hand over his heart.

"What are you saying?" Piper asked, holding her breath anxiously.

Leo smiled, his eyes crinkling the way Piper loved. "I'm saying I'm here to stay, in my home, with you."

"But-but what about the elders?" she couldn't help but ask.

"I don't care what they do to me. I just want to be with you. Being an elder was something I wanted for a long time. But, it's nothing compared to how much I want you. They can demote me back to a whitelighter or clip my wings or whatever, but I'm not leaving you, Piper. No matter what. That was the promise I made and I still stand by it."

Piper didn't know what to say. She was literally speechless. "Do you mean it? Are you really staying?"

"Yes." He chuckled at her wide eyes.

Her face broke out into a grin. "Really?"

Leo laughed, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Really. And hopefully in the next life, we don't make as many mistakes."

Piper giggled happily. "I don't care what happens in the next life as long as you're with me." Without another thought, pulled his head to hers in a passionate kiss. Maybe it was the overwhelming joy, but kissing him had never felt so pleasurable. She wrapped her arms around his neck. As the kiss deepened, Leo pushed her against the sink, eliciting a small moan from her. He pushed his hips even more into her and she moaned again, this time a little louder. Leo gripped her hips and lifted her onto the sink.

Piper broke away from the kiss, but wrapped her legs around his waist. "Leo, we can't. Wyatt's right in the bedroom asleep."

"Then we'll have to be quiet, won't we?" He grinned and moved in to kiss her neck.

Piper's breathing started getting heavy as he slid his tongue along her collarbone and his hands crept up into her shirt, caressing every inch of her skin. She ran her fingers through his hair, feeling more loved than she ever did before.

She pulled his head back gently and looked into his eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Leo said sincerely.

She kissed him passionately, reveling in his taste and the feeling she always got when she was with Leo. All in all, Piper Halliwell was more than ecstatic to have her husband in her arms, united forever. Whatever the future held, they would overcome it together. Because that's all you could really ever hope for; someone there for you, who would hold you up when you feel like hitting rock bottom and never let you down. With the love she shared with Leo, Piper knew she would never have to be alone again.

**And that's a wrap! Hope you enjoyed this one-shot. Just a little angst/fluff for you all. Please review. Much appreciation. Thanks.**


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